Man Utd are looking to cash in on Marcus Rashford’s improved form
Marcus Rashford’s improved form at Aston Villa and his return to the England squad has led to Manchester United increasing their summer asking price for the forward - their former chief scout has claimed.
Rashford is set to move on permanently from Old Trafford this summer after joining Premier League rivals Villa on a six-month loan in the January transfer window. The likes of Antony and Tyrell Malacia also left United on loan and are expected to move on permanently come the end of the season.
Last week, Rashford was named in Thomas Tuchel’s first England squad. The former Chelsea boss said of that decision: “I had the feeling that we need to reward him now, we need to feel him, he needs to be close to me, that he does not fall back into old routines,” Tuchel said. “He stepped up his game impressively [at Villa] against the ball. This is the most important point for him – the intensity after ball loss. The tracking back on the side. The sprinting. The hunting down. Making sure you’re in position.”
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United increase asking price for Rashford
Mick Brown, who worked at United for over 10 years in the club’s scouting department, has told Football Insider that Rashford’s improvement in recent months has seen the Red Devils crank up their asking price for him to leave on a permanent deal come the summer.
Brown said: “Their asking price has increased after he was recalled into the England squad. I said when he went to Villa that the move would be a win-win-win situation for the three of them, and I think that has been proven already. Villa have benefited from his impressive performances, he’s been allowed to show what he can do, and now Man United can benefit from his sale. They’ve got the best out of a bad situation at United, really.”
Brown added that a summer exit for Rashford was highly likely, with the Red Devils keen to make as much as possible from his sale.
Rashford sale is worth pure profit to United
The forward is a United academy player and when it comes to accounting for the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules - his potential sale would count as pure profit. It means all the money the Red Devils earn can be accounted towards PSR and puts the club in a stronger position when it comes to reinvesting in their squad.
The Three Lions are in action on Friday night and Monday night as they have two games at Wembley against Albania and Latvia. Whether Rashford is given the opportunity for minutes remains to be seen.
Since moving to Villa, Rashford has made nine appearances in all competitions. He has yet to score under Unai Emery but he has provided four assists and is reportedly keen to return to Villa Park permanently in the summer after a positive start to life in Birmingham. United hoped to see Rashford rediscover his form, as it would drive up the asking price for the player come the summer.
Earlier this month, minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe was asked about Rashford’s form and said: “I'm pleased. He's moved out of Manchester, maybe that's a good thing for him. I am very pleased to see he's doing well, it's good to see. He has got tremendous talent but for whatever reason it hasn't been working in Manchester for the last couple of seasons."
Related topics:Marcus RashfordAston VillaOld TraffordAntonyThomas Tuchel
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